Breakfast in Paradise
by KarenDetroit
Summary: The Potions Master and his Muggleraised bride finally get to honeymoon, and it's magic.
1. Chapter 1: Touchdown

Chapter 1: Touchdown

"Manava! Welcome to Tahiti, Madame et Monsieur. Your reservations are in order. If you will follow Kiki, who will be your personal House Elf during your stay with us, she will lead you to your villa. Maururu!" The proprietor of the Wizard's Resort gestured to the smallest Elf Severus had ever seen, about the size of a two-year-old human, with dark, olive green skin and a wardrobe that consisted for the most part of blossoms in a riot of colors and varieties. Kiki the Elf offered Rose and Severus Snape each a lei made of tiare, a fragrant gardenia like blossom, hibiscus and orchids. Rose was given red and white flowers; Severus, green and white. The newlyweds then followed Kiki out of the lobby into a red setting sun and the surf's susurrations.

Arms around each other's waists, Rose and Severus Snape strolled down a path of volcanic sand, through a tropical garden of shadows and delicious fragrances, to one of several small detached buildings of pink stucco built on stilts, the palm-thatched roofs covered with blooming frangipani and dendrobium orchids hung in pots from the eaves.

Rose was tired and overwhelmed by the rush of events that led her to this, a honeymoon of magical proportions. She ruefully remembered her first wedding, and the aborted camping trip in Finland, which was her first husband's idea of adventure and romance. The camping was cut short by the fact that even in June, Finland was cold and damp enough to require wool and even down blankets in the evenings, while the Arctic mosquitoes needed aircraft carriers for launch pads. Rose wasn't much of a camper; her idea of roughing it meant going without electricity. Since the cold-blooded bastard she'd married first didn't keep her warm at night, they spent the rest of the month in hotel rooms, featuring the Scandinavian standard: very narrow, twin beds. By contrast, the evening air in Tahiti was warm and filled with the salt of the Pacific, and insects were not in evidence. Rose firmly shut out any further comparisons, although she was willing to bet money that twin beds were not on the program. She laid her head on her husband's shoulder. In the event that twin beds were in evidence, she was sure he would immediately fix the problem.

Severus squeezed her waist gently. Rose was rather pale and far too quiet for his liking. "Just a bit farther." Severus was fearful of pushing his pregnant wife beyond her strength. She was still moving steadily, but not with her typical brisk, urban, earth-eating stride. She was 7 weeks along and carrying twins, which would have slowed down most women, but in addition she had spent a whole day Apparating halfway around the world in stages, after several weeks of wedding preparations, including lawyers, the unplanned pregnancy, the revelation of generations of family secrets, curse-breaking, spell-casting, the actual ceremony, two receptions and the execution of her first husband for casting an Unforgivable on his own unborn daughter by her new husband.

(For details, refer to The Dancing Master and Wedding of the Millennium, also by this author.)

Severus was new at the husbanding trade and inclined to obsess, which Rose found endearing after the callous treatment she endured the first time around. She smiled and squeezed him back. "No worries, love."

"Monsieur, may Kiki bring dinner or refreshments?" the House Elf asked, once she had shown them about their quarters and unpacked their scant luggage. They ordered dinner and then dismissed Kiki for the night.

"Everything is wonderful, Russ: the food, the island, this cottage. I feel like a princess." Rose had regained some color from the rest and food. She felt shy, no doubt due to the complete novelty of her present circumstances. "I wanted to swim in the moonlight, but I am exhausted."

"Why don't we nap for a bit, and when we wake up we'll paddle in the lagoon. We are going to be adjusting to the local time for several days anyway. There is no set program to follow." Severus was beginning to feel drained, himself. With little more than setting wards, a quick wash and a kiss goodnight, the Potions Master and his Muggle-raised bride relaxed in deepest slumber. Severus curled protectively around his new-made wife in a superbly comfortable, queen-size bed, convinced that it didn't get much better than this.

Rose awoke at dawn to the sound of birdcalls and surf and the effect of pregnancy on the bladder. She slid out of bed and her husband's embrace, and decided to indulge in a bath, since she was fully awake and likely to stay that way. "Kiki," Rose called softly. The Elf appeared, dressed today in all white flowers, bringing with her bubble bath, toiletries, a light breakfast, and towels. Rose ordered a full breakfast for two after her bath, and inquired about the options for purchasing suitable clothing for the tropics. She dressed in her swimsuit and investigated their quarters while waiting for Severus to awake.

The smell of food finally roused him when Rose waved a plate of sausages under his nose. He opened somewhat gritty eyes to find the sun well up, a variety of exotic dishes lined up on the nightstands, and his wife in a form-hugging black garment resembling her ballet leotard, only uglier. He rubbed his face and scalp. "What are you wearing, Rose?" was the first thing out of his mouth. Even his voice was gritty.

Rose handed him a cool glass of fresh pineapple juice and sat on the edge of the bed. "It's hideous, isn't it?" She shook her head. "I haven't done much swimming lately, and this is the only suit I have. It's designed more for a concrete pool in a grotty gym club than a lagoon in Tahiti. Its only virtue is it doesn't ride up or fall off or become transparent in water." She passed him a plate of fried plantain and another of scrambled eggs. "I was hoping to shop for clothing once we arrived, but I would like to swim before the sun gets too high."

"You must be feeling better, to be so energetic this morning," he remarked. She did look blooming, the increased blood supply of pregnancy adding color to her cheeks. They ate in silent contentment. Severus took inventory of his own health. His exhaustion due to the extended Apparitions required to get them to Tahiti vanished as his hunger was satisfied. "I'll clean up quickly. Then we can try the waters." He showered and shaved and brushed his teeth. Rose summoned Kiki to clear away the dishes.

"What should I wear to swim?" Severus asked Rose. "I don't want to cause a scandal, but I haven't any kind of swimwear." Rose thought the bath towel he had wrapped about him looked fetching, but she wasn't going to say so, with a House Elf in the room.

Said Elf spoke: "The resort has clothing available through the gift shop. This Guide to Services includes a catalog. If Monsieur will select a style, Kiki can procure a perfect fitting swimsuit."

Severus looked through the catalog. "Very well, Kiki. Would you kindly bring this ensemble for me," he pointed, "and that one for Madame. And be sure to include sunscreen." Kiki complied with a snap of her fingers, then cleared away breakfast and vanished.

Rose stripped off her hated old one-piece swimsuit, but before she could dress in the new one, her husband changed the program. "I would like some dessert first," Severus said. He dropped his towel, and clad only in a smirk, he gently but firmly insisted on his prerogatives. It was some time later that Rose finally donned the new outfit: a two piece swim suit of moderate cut, in tropical patterns of green leaves and flowers in gold and shades of white and red. The fabric was smooth and silky, not the coarse plastic texture of synthetics. A matching long wrap skirt and a blousy long-sleeved shirt in white to protect from the burning sun, rope sandals and a large brimmed straw hat with a sash to tie under the chin completed her ensemble. Severus donned an abbreviated pair of black swim trunks, a white gauzy tunic that dropped to his knees with open long sleeves, a straw boater and sturdy leather sandals. Thus arrayed, the newlyweds went down to the water hand in hand.

"You look like something out of Hemingway, Severus, in that gear," Rose remarked. She pulled off the cover-ups, pulled on goggles, applied waterproof sunscreen and dove into the turquoise lagoon. Severus followed, more gingerly. He was not much of a swimmer but he found the blood warm water relaxing, if not particularly refreshing.

"You are quite the mermaid, Rose," he remarked, as he watched his wife cavorting in the clear blue water. Tired of floundering, he simply stood in chest deep water shaded by palm trees.

"Not really," Rose responded. "I'm an amateur at best. My daughter Sarah wanted to be a mermaid when she grew up, and swimming was good therapy for her, so we spent a lot of time in the water. But nothing ever came of it." Rose looked a bit sad. "I'm going to lie in the shade, now."

Severus was bemused. "How does one grow up to be a mermaid?" He handed her out of the water and led the way to deck chairs under a canvas canopy. Rose dried off and donned her cover up clothing, then stretched out face up on a reclining chaise, partially covering her face with the straw hat.

"There is a deep freshwater spring in Florida, where Babcia Sophie lives, if you remember, which has an underground viewing room. Girls train to dive perform aquatic ballets there for the tourists. It's called Weeki Watchi. It is quite special."

"It's a Muggle thing, then," Severus said. "I thought you were referring to having a silkie or a merman in your family tree."

"I wouldn't know, would I?" Rose remarked faintly. Did such mythical creatures actually exist? "The Babas ensured that I grew up completely ignorant." She lay back and closed her eyes. "I am sorry, Russ. I'm not the person you thought you were marrying, not the person I thought I was, either. If you want to revoke this marriage, I would understand. We can undo everything, I expect." A tear leaked from one eye, under the cover of her hat.

"Kiki," Severus called, "please bring us luncheon suitable for a mother-to-be." Arthur Weasley had warned him about keeping a pregnant wife watered, fed and rested.

The House Elf arrived with a savoury beef stir-fry on rice, a salad, and a plate of fresh fruits. "Kiki has also brought milk for Madame. Milk is recommended for growing bones."

"Thank you, Kiki." Severus took the hat off Rose's face. "Before either of us says anything more, I want you to eat." He adjusted her chaise to a sitting position and started handing her food. Rose ate, reluctantly for the first two bites, and then with a heartier appetite as her blood sugar rose. Frowning in thought, Severus began his lunch, too.

"Rose, after all the change and chaos inflicted upon you these past weeks, you are easily exhausted. I will do my best, if you tell me how, to take care of you." Severus wiped the sweat from his forehead. The day was warming fast. He pulled Rose into his lap for cuddling, and they balanced rather precariously on the chaise. "One thing no one can undo. I will not let you go." The excellent Kiki discreetly widened the chaise for two and then made all the dishes disappear.

Rose was so silent and still, Severus thought she dozed. He watched the clouds drift and boil overhead. A few hot tears soaked into his tunic; he stroked her back and neck and hair. "Well, Severus, I have been married before, but I have never been so well cared for, ever. I don't feel worthy of it. I feel like a fraud." Rose grasped his shoulder, nestling in closer.

"I think you resemble an amnesiac more than a fraud," Severus replied. "We have to find out: who is Rose Mallorn Snape?

"For one thing, you are definitely among the Purebloods in Magical society. Dumbledore can trace his family back to Merlin's mother. You can go back to Crete and the Minotaur. Only the Egyptians or the Chinese could give you any significant competition," Severus smirked. "I can see the headlines now: 'Rita Skeeter Exclusive Report: The Living Legend Among Us.'"

Rose shuddered. "I don't want anything to do with that woman! I just want to be competent, as you and Dumbledore and Hermione are. My own son knows more about magic than I do, thanks to the Babas and their hiding-lights-under-a-bushel program."

Severus continued to stroke her back and hair. "Well, there is a short term problem with that. While you are pregnant, your magic is concentrated on helping the babies grow. You won't be able to choose a wand until after they are born, so the study of Charms, Transfigurations, or Defense Against the Dark Arts is out for now. Potions is out, since we don't want any chance of poisoning. That leaves Divination, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Herbology, Astronomy, History of Magic, Muggle Studies, which you could teach, and Care of Magical Creatures. You wouldn't want to try flying while pregnant, unless you did it soon, before your body mass shifts too much. So, you could get a thorough background in Magical theory now, and then do the practicals after the children are born." Severus kissed her forehead. "You haven't ever done any wandless magic, have you?" Rose shook her head. "No doubt you were completely inhibited by the Cloaking Spell. You needn't worry, Rose. There's plenty of time for learning. I didn't marry you for your Magical ability, but I won't turn down such a bonus gift. "

"You didn't marry me for children, either, Russ. I feel so foolish. I always had such trouble conceiving, and at my age I expected never to need birth control again." Rose was embarrassed. "I was mistaken."

"Children are another gift I never hoped to have," Severus was bemused by the profound changes in his life, now that he was free of both his masters, Voldemort and Dumbledore. "You aren't old or foolish, any more than I am, and you had trouble conceiving because your husband at the time was preventing it." Severus was growing angry, just thinking about it. Her first husband had used Rose as a House Elf, and fought her dreams every step of the way, crippling their daughter Sarah, to boot, in his misogyny and selfishness. The bastard got what he deserved.

"He told me he wanted seven children, one for each day of the week," Rose mourned. "How was I to know he really didn't mean it?"

Severus felt dizzy. "Did you want seven children, Rose?"

"I was willing to try. I like children, and even after raising a couple, I don't mind more." Rose rubbed her tummy, and then paled. "Can we afford these children, Russ? I never thought to ask. I have no idea what the economics of the Magical world are like. I can start lining up some more business so we have enough income."

Severus Snape snorted. "Is that what makes the Muggle world go round? Is everything tied to money?"

"Pretty much. A thoughtful person wouldn't want to be unable to feed and educate her children," Rose sighed. "Of course, there are those who cannot plan, or meet with disaster, or don't care, and children go hungry every day, or die of preventable diseases, or never learn how to survive."

"Our children will not want for anything, Rose, not the four we will have, or seven, or seventeen. Remind me to review our finances for you when we get home." Severus pulled her closer. Rose stared off into space, lost in memories.

"One of the Babas had seventeen children, I was told. She did it the hard way, one at a time. I never met her. She was Grandma Sophie's mother-in-law. We were estranged from that branch of the family when Sophie divorced her husband." Rose's far away look sharpened into the here-and-now. "So, how many children are we planning on having, Russ?"

"Why don't we take it one or two at a time?" Severus shook his head, contemplating seventeen little Snapes running through Hogwarts. To see the expressions of the staff, it might almost be worth it. "When either of us decides we've had enough, then we can stop. I think it is time for your nap, little Mother. Let's rest in the heat of the day, and go out on the town in the evenings." He walked her back to the villa and after they showered and made love, both drifted off to sleep: Rose clutching the Snape heirloom pendant, Severus clutching her.


	2. Chapter 2: Business Before Pleasure

Chapter 2: Business Before Pleasure

The sun's rays were slanting through the trees and an on shore breeze blew freshly when Severus awoke. He summoned the House Elf to request maps, tourist guides, and information on places and events on the islands. When he had a plan for the evening that would be sufficiently diverting without overtaxing Rose's strength, he went to wake her. She was still clutching his mother's pendant in one hand, her eyelids fluttering in dream, her body restlessly twitching. She woke with a start.

"There will be a folk art exhibit and live performances tonight at the resort. Would you like to see them?" Severus asked. "I thought we might try that moonlight swim after the show, just before bed. Tomorrow morning I would like to stop at the local Apothecary and browse through the potion supplies, and then see if we cannot find some tropical Muggle wear in town. Perhaps after that we can see some Muggle sights, if you are up to it."

"That sounds fine, Russ, as long as I can nap," Rose stretched and yawned. "I remember being this tired the last time I was pregnant, too. If I sleep through the hottest part of the day without nightmares, I should be fine. I had some wild dreams just now."

"How about a light dinner now, and a snack before bedtime?" Severus ordered food from Kiki, and they dined on fresh fish, hearts of palm salad, breadfruit and taro. Then they drifted down to the resort's main building.

The native art exhibits included tapa cloth woven from tree bark and colored with vegetable dyes, wood and stone sculptures of gods in the Polynesian Tiki styles, but much smaller, and performers singing traditional songs and dancing the dances that the missionaries had banned in the 18th and 19th centuries, with drum accompaniment on traditional instruments. Rose asked to learn this style of dance, much more vigorous than the Hawaiian hula, and the performers were delighted to show her the o'te'a vahini, a dance for women only. In return, she demonstrated Middle Eastern style dancing for them, after teaching the proper rhythms to the drummers. Many of the Polynesians bore elaborate tattoos, an ancient tradition undergoing a modern revival. Conversations blended Tahitian, French and English languages.

Severus circulated among the wizards, talking shop and politics. He met the local potions maker and supplier of potions ingredients: a wizard of French descent named Raymond Ouellette, and arranged a private visit to that worthy's shop, followed by a field collection/nature trip later in the week. He also met a crew that offered diving excursions. Capitan Alain and his English partner, Toby, both wizards, operated a 40 ft sailboat out of Teahupoo. Severus engaged them for a tour of the local reef later in the week. When the resort's bar staff announced karaoke time, people drifted over to drink and to attempt to sing.

Rose was coaxed by her newfound friends among the performers to join in. She sang an old Broadway tune from "Wonderful Town" (Lyrics by Comden and Green):

"Mmm-mm. I'm a little bit in love; never felt this way before.

Mmm-mm. Just a little bit in love, or perhaps, a little bit more...

When he looks at me, everything's hazy and all out of focus.

When he touches me, I'm in the spell of a strange hocus-pocus.

It's so.... I don't know; I'm so.... I don't know,

I don't know, but I know, if it's love, then it's lovely!

Mmm-mm. It's so nice to be alive, when you meet someone who bewitches you.

Will he be my all, or did I just fall a little bit, a little bit in love."

Rose, flushed and laughing, acknowledged the general applause. She joined Severus at his table, where he and his new acquaintances were sampling the native liquor. Severus was touched by her choice of songs, but kept a stern and aloof expression firmly in place, as the locals congratulated the newlyweds and watched them depart.

"Keep your hands to yourself, Alain, when you are out on the reefs," Raymond muttered when the newlyweds were out of range. "Snape is not someone to trifle with, nor is his wife."

"We have a saying in jolly olde England, mate," added Toby. "Don't mess with wizards' women wearing large emeralds." He placed one finger beside his nose.

"Mes ami, I assure you, I would never dream of such a thing, certainly not without an invitation," protested Alain.

"Even if you think you have an invitation, Alain, heed this word to the wise: Don't!" Raymond scowled. "There are some curses even my potions cannot cure."

Severus and Rose walked back to the villa. "Time to feed the children again, Rose," he said, as he patted her abdomen. "I gather you enjoyed yourself?"

"Yes, I did," she sighed. "But I am hungry again. Snack first, then do you still fancy a swim after?" she added. "The moon is brilliant tonight."

The moon was just past full, and the lagoon was an unruffled mirror, as they entered the water for their promised swim. Rose coached Severus in the little she knew of swimming styles and techniques, and he managed to make some improvements in his mobility in water. When Rose felt chilled, they returned to the villa, shared a hot shower, and climbed into bed. Severus pulled Rose into his arms, and she laid her head on his shoulder.

"I know that was a Muggle song you sang tonight, Rose, but do you truly think I put a spell on you?" Severus asked.

"I know you didn't," Rose replied. "I was just teasing. I married you because of my dream, actually."

"You are joking, surely?" Severus was amused. Rose sat up to look at him.

"Your mother spoke to me in that dream, a woman I never met! If the dream came from your mother, then I could assume she was a good enough witch to know what she was talking about. If you put that dream in my head, then you were very serious about marriage. No one else could have arranged such a message on such random and short notice. So logically, if I felt anything for you, your offer was a good one." Severus sat up in turn.

"My offer was anything but logical; ordinarily I would never propose marriage to an apparent Muggle, simply because of the cultural differences and the inequality of power," Severus frowned.

"Then why did you?" Rose was feeling a bit peeved, and crossed her arms.

After several long moments of silence spent staring at the covers, he replied, "Because of my dream, the one I had while you dreamt yours. My mother's image told me I would find riches in her wych elm grove. She turned me around, and there you were, under the golden elms, dressed in cloth of gold." He looked up at her, took her hands. "I thought about us going beyond companionship, friendship, what have you, much earlier, to be honest, but I was reluctant to inflict upon you the trauma of changing worlds. I thought the practical barriers too high for me to breach, or for you to overcome. It would be monstrously unfair to form an emotional attachment that could not survive real world conditions." He gathered her warm and fragrant body in his arms. "That dream gave me assurance and permission to act, so to speak. Mother was a Seer, and adept at long-lasting Charms. It is very possible that she set a spell to direct me to a suitable wife. Since you met her standards, I felt confident that we could make a lasting marriage. I don't think Mother looked for wealth, for she was never materially inclined. Mother valued love and family and community, even though she found so little of those in her marriage. I once asked her why she married my father, when he was so unkind to her. She said she was planting a fruit tree that would bear bountiful harvests in the future, and that rotten garbage produced the best crops."

"That wasn't a very flattering way to refer to your father!" Rose exclaimed.

"No, but it was accurate," Severus said dryly. "My father was the last decaying leaf on a long dead tree." He tucked her head under his chin. "I floundered about for most of my youth, rejecting my family. Albus stepped in, and as a foster father, undid the damage that my father had done, leaving me able to remember and learn from my mother's teachings."

"You still haven't accounted for my dream," Rose reminded him. "How could your mother have set that up?"

"Not my area of expertise. We can consult with Flitwick when we return to Hogwarts. I first thought you had received some portion of my dream, from my letting it leak out or maybe broadcasting it while you were in the same room and asleep. But our dreams were different enough to be separate events, and similar enough to be linked through some larger design. But we can explore this later, after we return home. For now, let's get some rest," Severus yawned, lay back down, pulled Rose to his chest once more, and muttered _Nox_. Lights extinguished, the newlyweds fell into deep slumber, and any dreams were peaceful.

The following morning, after breakfast in bed, Severus carried Rose off to the apothecary. Outside the weather had turned stormy, as the tail end of a monsoon swept the island. After greeting Raymond, who turned him over to a clerk, the Potions Master of Hogwarts browsed among the mineral, plant and animal products, selecting those that met his needs and standards. Finally finished, he turned his attention to his wife. Rose was walking in a daze, talking to herself, fingering and naming the items in the apothecary, commenting on their uses, properties, quality, and price, while clutching the pendant his mother had worn in her right hand.

"Rose!" Severus grasped her by the elbows, turning her to face him, then gently shaking her when she failed to respond. She blinked, focused on his chest, and then dragged her gaze upwards. Her hand opened, dropping the pendant.

"What is it, Severus?" Rose asked in a puzzled tone of voice.

"You were entranced, spouting information about the store's inventory and its uses," he replied. "Where did you learn so much about these things?"

"What do you mean?" Rose replied. Severus dragged her over to a shelf.

"What is that?" he asked, pointing to the contents of a bin. As she leaned over to look at the roots, Rose grabbed the pendant as it swung away from her body and into the bin.

"Aconite, also known as wolfsbane or monkshood, a heart stimulant, poisonous in excess, also used in treatment of colds and fevers or shock," Rose sounded distant, almost machinelike in tone. Lightning flashed outside, and a peal of thunder followed closely.

As Rose straightened, she dropped the pendant. She looked at him fearfully. "I don't know why or how I know this! Is it accurate?"

"Extremely accurate," he replied grimly. He looked about for something obscure, and found something he could not identify himself. "What is that?" he barked, pointing to a jar of pink powder.

Rose looked closely. She bent, grasped the pendant again as it swung forward, examined the contents, and in a distant voice responded, "The petals of the Chinese peony, powdered, for use in the cures for lycanthropy and vampirism. If you haven't any in stock, you should purchase a generous amount, as this is of exceptionally good quality, and processed for long-term storage." Rose dropped the pendant as she rose and blinked again.

Severus Snape took the peony powder to the counter. "Please add a good portion of this ingredient to my purchases. I have a werewolf to cure," he instructed the apothecary's assistant. "How much do I need, Rose?" She looked at him, flummoxed. "Ask the pendant, love," he prompted.

"The pendant?" Rose grasped the emerald intaglio and stared at it. "Each application requires 100 to 200 grams," was her faint reply.

"Best measure out a kilo," Snape told the clerk. He took Rose's arm. "You and I are going to walk through this shop together. You will hold the pendant and look for ingredients for the werewolf cure. You will be answering any questions I ask."

Walk they did, Severus questioning Rose minutely on every item, but especially those unfamiliar to him. Three more exotic items were added to his selections. Instructing the clerk to package the purchases and ship them to Hogwarts, Severus suddenly noticed that Rose was pale and shaking. "My brilliant wife, it is time for luncheon. Come with me." He took her hands and Apparated to their villa.

"Kiki, hot soup, please," he commanded. The House Elf materialized with 3 kinds of soup, and Severus spooned several cups into his wife. When she felt well enough to feed herself, he ordered a proper lunch for them both, which they consumed in silence. When Rose, replete, laid her head back in the armchair and closed her eyes, Severus undressed her for their midday nap and laid her between the sheets. She slipped quickly into peaceful slumber while he gently held her. Severus wasn't sleeping, though. He reviewed in his mind all he could remember about his mother and her pendant, while rain hammered the roof of the villa.


	3. Chapter 3: Memories

Chapter 3: Memories

When Rose woke at last the storm was over, and Severus was relieved to see her restored. "Are you feeling quite the thing, love?" he worried. "I shouldn't have pushed you past your limits at the apothecary."

Rose stretched and yawned. "I feel a bit tired mentally, but I cannot sleep any longer. What did you plan for tonight's entertainment?"

They decided to go to the city of Papeete, the capital of the 118 islands that constituted French Polynesia, and explore some of the non-magical part of the islands. They visited Le Musee de la Perle, devoted to the glorious pearls of Tahiti, which came in a variety of shades: the green variety, called pistachio, lavender, the red variety called cherry, pale yellow champagne, silver, various shades of gray: pigeon, moon, orient; Tahitian gold, and peacock: the fabled black pearls, which had an iridescent sheen predominately green but subtle. They toured shops and purchased enough items of tropical clothing to meet their needs for the rest of their stay, and then tried a small restaurant featuring a nightly tamaraa, the traditional feast, for dinner. They saw the sights within 5 miles of the capital, then Apparated back to the wizard resort and sat on the black velvety beach. "Could I have the pendant for a bit, Rose?" Severus asked as they gazed at the southern constellations. Rose handed over the emerald on the chain.

Severus held it tightly in his wand hand, asking questions first silently, then out loud. No answers came to his queries. "Put your hand on top of the pendant while it lies in my hand, Rose," he tried next. She laid her left hand on top of his right, with the emerald sandwiched between them. "I will ask a question, and then I will ask you to tell me the answer. I wore that pendant 30 years or more, and not once did it do any of the things for me that it does for you. Why does this pendant not operate for me?" He closed his eyes, vainly trying to receive an answer to his question. "Well, Rose, what is the answer?"

"All the memory stones respond only to women descended from the Mothers, and the strength of the response is determined by the proportion of Mothers to Outsiders in the woman's ancestry," Rose recited in a soft, detached manner. "Your mother was but one quarter descended. I am over three quarters descended."

"What caused the dreams we had that night?" Severus spoke abruptly.

"The mating dream spell is built into the stone, and the trigger is very basic: if a Daughter spends the night in the company of a Son, they are urged to produce children so that the stone might pass to another Daughter. Your mother personalized the dream for you and any potential partner."

He contemplated her silently, while she gazed at some unseen vision between the lagoon and the stars. "How many memory stones are there?" he continued.

"This stone is called the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, a reference to the Biblical book of Genesis and the carving on its face. At the time this stone was started, around 500 BC, there were only two other stones in existence. The Mothers would bespell additional stones as Daughters were sent off to other lands to form new Families. This stone was created for Sorcha, a Celt who went to Hibernia to settle. It has remained in Britain ever since, and has never been duplicated, nor has any Daughter stone been created from it. Sorcha's line was not prolific, but it was strong enough to last 2500 years and to survive multiple invasions from the Continent of Europe. Your name and your nose come from a Daughter's liaison in 209 AD to Lucius Septimus Severus, the Roman emperor who ended his days at York in 211 AD, which produced a daughter, Julia."

Severus broke the contact between Rose and the pendant. Rose shook her head, breathing deeply, while Severus hung the pendant about her neck again, then pulled her close. "Well, now we know whence the dreams came. How do you feel, love?" he asked, as she shivered in the breeze.

"A bit shaky. The memory stone floods me with information every time, more than anyone might want or need to know. The stone records everything the wearer sees, hears, thinks, feels, smells, touches and does, and unless one can narrow the question down precisely, the information is overwhelming." Rose laid her head on his shoulder. "Imagine wearing the Library of Congress, all the Smithsonian Institute collections, and the British Museum about one's neck. It would take several lifetimes just to skim through it all."

"Does that mean my life has been recorded, also?" Severus asked sharply. Rose reached for the pendant again, but he took her hand before she touched it. "Never mind the question. You have done enough research for one day. You are still trembling." He kissed her hand, then picked her up and carried her back to their rooms and put her into a hot bath. He then brought her a hearty snack to replenish her strength. As he washed and tucked her into bed, Severus fretted. "Rose, while you are pregnant you had best limit the amount of research you do with this pendant. I don't want you to become ill. You must promise me that you will only consult the stone while I am with you, so that I can monitor you for your safety and that of the children."

"I promise, Russ," Rose replied. She quickly drifted off to sleep. Severus summoned the House Elf.

"Kiki, how might I get a message to England from here?"

"Master could write his message, and the Management can deliver it by Portkey courier, or by aeroplane, boat, or fax to Great Britain Central, where it would continue by Muggle Post, Floo or by Owl. Master could also use email up at the resort office. Many guests used the telegraph until recently, but now satellite telephone has made long distance communications faster and much less expensive."

"May I have pen and paper, please?" Severus felt that his report to Dumbledore would take more careful wording than he could manage through a telephone conversation or an email. His news was rather more than would fit on a typical tourist's postcard. Far into the night, Severus composed a report and spelled it so that only Dumbledore could open and read it. He then lay down next to Rose, to spend the night contemplating the possibilities.

The next morning Raymond the apothecary called on them at breakfast. After Severus sent off his report to Dumbledore, the three set out to hike the island, foraging among the lush tropical rainforest flora for magical plants, animals and minerals. Several brilliantly coloured birds ranged through the trees, especially lorikeets and many kinds of fruit doves. Severus and Raymond would stop and secure samples of likely looking plants, while Rose picked blossoms to weave into leis. They stopped at a small waterfall to rest and splash, ate the picnic lunch Kiki had provided, and then the newlyweds bid Raymond adieu and Apparated back to the villa for siesta.

That evening they went out on the water in a traditional native outrigger, watched canoe races and spear fishing, and learned about celestial navigation, Polynesian style. After moonrise they boarded a small cruise ship, where they danced and dined with a mostly Muggle crowd. Severus refrained from pursuing the many questions he still had about the pendant, preferring to provide diversion and amusement for his wife. Rose was too curious to let the topic rest, however.

"Russ, you haven't once mentioned the Tree of Knowledge today. Are you upset by the information it yielded?"

"Why would you think I am upset, Rose? I assure you I am not," Severus reached over to take her hand. He was reluctant to discuss the stone itself, but he wanted no strains in his marriage because of it.

"When an educated and intelligent person with a strong sense of curiosity doesn't talk about something as momentous as discovering 2500 years of recorded, first person, personal family history, I suspect that something is wrong," Rose responded rather tartly. "Heaven knows I am curious, even though it isn't my family, and if it weren't so tiring, I would spend all my time in research, and probably try to get it all down on paper, besides." She looked into his face, tears shining in the corners of her eyes. "Are you angry that you and I were manipulated into marriage?"

"We were not manipulated into marriage. Neither spells nor a hunk of Aluminum Beryllium Silicate are responsible for our actions. Rose, you bewitched me; and you will always be the reason why I proposed marriage. With you I find lost dreams coming true. Any incidental benefits, such as the archive in that pendant, are merely an unexpected bonus. Since we're on our honeymoon, the research can wait a bit," and he led her out on the dance floor for a tango. "Don't tell me you married me for my family tree," he whispered, as they danced barely an inch apart.

"No, of course not. Nor did I marry you for your family jewels." Rose tossed her head and clung to him. "I needed a dancing partner, and you happened to fit the requirements," Rose hissed in his ear.

He gave her an evil, lascivious grin. "Then I think it's time we went back for more of that dancing," and he led her into a small empty cabin, closed the door, and Apparated them back to the villa. After a small meal and a warm bath, they cuddled in bed.


	4. Chapter 4: Pillow Talk

Chapter 4: Pillow Talk

"Would you like to go diving, Rose?" Severus asked.

"I have no experience diving. I've never snorkeled, nor learned SCUBA diving."

"I don't intend to use Muggle methods," Severus replied. "Those fellows I met at the exhibits, Alain and Toby, will take us out to the coral reef and keep us out of trouble. I purchased some gillyweed from Raymond the other day, so you can be a mermaid for an hour. You're early enough into pregnancy that neither you nor the babes will be adversely affected." He saw Rose touch the pendant briefly, no doubt to discover what gillyweed was. "Nox," he muttered, and concluded the evening's program to the satisfaction of both.

Another tropical storm system assaulted the island the next day, and was expected to last for several more. The newlyweds took full advantage of the inclement weather, but even honeymooners need an occasional diversion. They taught each other various card games, and at Severus' request, Rose tried to play chess, but she had no gift for strategy.

Rose spent several hours reporting history from the memory stone, and Severus attempted to instruct Rose in the use of her magical power. He demonstrated simple spells, suitable for wandless magic: Accio, Lumos, Nox. Rose soon managed to perform these spells, sometimes using the pendant as a focus of power, sometimes manifesting the glow which had appeared around her as the Cloaking Spell cast upon her in infancy by her great-grandmothers the Babas was lifted. Severus gave her his wand to try, but the results were uneven. "You obviously need a different type of wand, love," he said, after her attempt to Summon with his wand proved less effective than her attempts without. "Ollivander will sort you out properly. We'll call on his shop the week after the twins are born." They then made magic with another kind of wand, at Rose's insistence.

Severus watched, eyes half closed, as Rose picked out a shift and headed for the bath. He felt nearly boneless: relaxed, content, and replete. This marriage business wasn't a bad arrangement. It certainly was more rewarding than serving the Dark Lord, or Albus P. W. B. Dumbledore. Of course, he had to give credit for the pleasantness of this partnership to Rose. She generated an atmosphere of serenity, one of the first things he had noticed about her, and this serenity penetrated into his bones, his heart, and his very soul. Minor irritations melted away in her presence without her lifting a finger or saying a word; long lasting injuries healed under her beneficence. This was a different kind of magic, and he was reminded that his mother, before her illness, had the same capacity to make a person feel healthy and whole just by her presence.

Rose returned, fresh from the shower. He grabbed her wrist as she reached for the bedcovers. "I thought you were asleep, Russ," she smiled. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"I was thinking," he brooded. "Why did you ever decide to take up with a disreputable wizard like me?" His warm hand held hers firmly while his thumb stroked her wrist; his black eyes studied her expressive face. He wasn't letting go until she gave a satisfactory answer. Rose sat on the edge of the bed, tucking her legs under her. She cocked her head to one side and examined him minutely, then smiled slightly.

"First of all, I didn't know you were disreputable. You were a complete stranger. Francesca Oldham introduced us one hour after she met you, so you started off with no history to speak of." Rose stroked his coal black hair with her free hand. In leaning over to reach him, her hair brushed his chest and shoulders, and he reached up to push her hair behind her ear. "I like your black hair. Perhaps it's because my grandfather Jozef, my mother's father, had black hair until he was eighty. His father was from the Hungarian region of Central Europe. Grandpa Joe was my favorite relation," she added, "and a bit testy, so I was accustomed to that in a man. Your gentle courtesy is very attractive by contrast." She leaned in at his surprised expression to kiss his cheek. "So, I was physically comfortable with you. You looked good, smelled good, talked well, moved well, and had old-world manners. You didn't push into my personal space or grab. You seemed familiar and safe, predictable and dependable." Severus snorted.

"No one in the history of the planet has ever called me safe, predictable, good-looking or well-mannered. You risk a lifetime in St. Mungo's if you ever repeat this preposterous description to anyone," he growled.

"And yet you do not deny any of my description," she teased.

"Far be it from me to disillusion my wife," he smirked.

She paused. "Your hair has gotten a lot longer. Do you plan to keep it long? This length suits you."

"Thank you, Rose," Severus replied. "I'll be sure to inform Hermione and Potter. Cutting my hair was their prescription to blend in with the Muggles. So, you felt physically safe and comfortable in my predictable, attractive presence. Continue."

"After you and I had spent some time together, talking and exploring London, I began to feel intellectually comfortable with you," Rose went on. "We were able to have thoughtful conversations and build some understanding between us. We shared a lot of interests and traits. I needed that kind of companionship; it is so rare and hard to find."

Rose stopped. Her eyes glistened with unexpected tears. "And then you went to the autism lecture for my sake; that was a thoughtful kindness no man has ever given me before. My emotions were suddenly engaged, and the discrepancies in your background story really began to alarm me. I didn't want to repeat my mistakes and get involved with a man who wasn't honest, who was putting up a false front to take advantage of my good nature. I really hadn't recovered from the last time that happened."

Rose wiped her eyes with her free hand, which Severus caught and kissed on the back and the palm. He then kissed her other hand. Rose's response was somewhere between a sob and a chuckle. "Fortunately Arthur Weasley filled in the gaps. When I knew that I was dealing with a wizard in disguise, everything suddenly made sense. I was honored that someone from the Magical world would deign to spend time with a Muggle like me. Being friends with a wizard sounded like a great adventure, and that would be sufficient satisfaction for me. And then you kissed me," she sighed, "and nothing has been the same since."

"Not for me, either," Severus solemnly replied.

"Severus, have you given any thought to names for the twins?" Rose looked at him, doubt in her eyes. She wasn't yet convinced that he really was happy to be expecting. Her experiences before meeting Severus Snape had taught her that men didn't want to grow up and be fathers, but wanted to always be little boys and to have fun. "I would like to name our daughter after your mother," she added. "But what about your son?"

"Well, I am not going to name him after my father," Severus replied with a snort. "What about your father?"

"I named my son John after his grandfather already," Rose replied. "Two Johns in the same family would be too much, I think."

"We can look through the family tree for a name for our son," Severus said. "But our daughter shall be named Elizabeth Rose. I do believe the rain is stopping," he added.

He was correct. The couple stepped outside to find that three days of monsoon storms had finally ended with a spectacular evening rainbow and a meteorite shower. Severus sent word to the wizard Alain that they would like to hire his services to explore the reefs at his first opportunity, using a myna bird. Wizards had introduced this species to the island to provide a form of Myna Post services, since owls were not native to Polynesia and not suited for a tropical climate. Alain sent word by return myna that he would be willing to take them out the next morning, if they were ready. The couple were willing and the plan was set.

The next morning dawned clear, with a fresh breeze blowing from the ocean. "What does one wear to dive with gillyweed?" Rose asked.

"Anything you like," her husband replied. "I'm wearing swim trunks. It's best not to wear dangling clothing. You don't want to get hooked on the coral." They ate a hearty breakfast, and Rose asked Kiki to put her hair in a tight French braid to keep it out of the way while diving. Rose then packed a change of clothes for après diving and declared herself ready.

They met Captain Alain after breakfast on the beach. Alain had a 40 ft. sailboat equipped for most surprises on the Pacific He wore a red and white striped piratical shirt, knee-length white canvas breeches, and a wand lashed to his right wrist. He physically resembled the actor Errol Flynn, being as tall and wiry as Severus, but with wavy, longish blond hair, a neatly trimmed mustache, and a solitary, small gold hoop earring. He had something of that late actor's roguish character, as well. His skin showed the weathering of an outdoorsman. "A pleasure to meet you, Madame," he said, with a distinct French accent, as Severus introduced his wife. "Please make yourselves comfortable while I get underway. Feel free to explore the Bella Donna." He introduced Toby, his diving guide. Toby was English, blond and rosy-cheeked, snub-nosed, barrel-chested, and a bit younger and shorter than Severus and Alain. Rose watched how Alain got the Bella Donna underway, and then followed Toby as he pointed out points of interest on the ship.

In the cabin, Toby pointed out the GPS system, the radio and sonar. Everything looked untouched. "Don't you use this equipment?" Rose asked.

"Alain doesn't need it. He sails by the seat of his pants using native techniques of navigation. If we run into difficulties, a few passes with the old wand, and we're back on target." Toby spoke behind one hand, "Besides, we don't know how to use these Muggle things."

"Do you mind if I turn them on and play with them? I've never tried out a GPS system," Rose asked.

"Be my guest! The directions are in this drawer," Toby pointed. "No need to rush, either. It will take us about 45 minutes to reach Wizards Reef."

Alain let the breeze take them out. He always preferred sails to motors. The ocean's song was his favorite music; the grinding whine of an engine, a distasteful but occasional necessity. He watched his passengers poke about the ship. The lady was graceful, but something about her was off. Was she Muggle, or magical? There wasn't any place to conceal a wand in that swimsuit, and aside from her necklace and rings, she was unencumbered. The emeralds were large and spectacular, both the cat's-eye set in the ring on her right hand, and the intaglio pendant.

The wizard Snape had his wand in a sheath under his tunic sleeve. He seemed powerfully protective of his lady. Alain would have to be the perfect hired servant today, just as Raymond had warned him. Too bad, he thought. He had worn out his welcome with the local lovelies, and boredom mixed with frustration grated on his nerves.

Rose and Severus settled in chairs in the cabin. Rose flipped through the manuals and turned on the GPS, radio and sonar and started to play with them. "You don't suffer from mal-de-mere, I hope?" Severus inquired, as he tried to read the GPS manual.

"Only in very rough seas," Rose smiled. "I'm so glad we can do without the engines. I hate the sound and smell and vibration. How far out is the reef?"

"Tahiti is surrounded by reefs, but we are going to one set aside by its inaccessibility and a few well-placed Muggle Repellers. Because it is protected and relatively untouched, it is said to be the most beautiful reef in French Polynesia."

Rose showed Severus how the GPS system worked, explaining the scientific principles and theory behind it, the satellites in the heavens that gave the data and the Doppler analysis that located their position on the charts. She found the local radio bands and they listened to the other ships in the area. Then she got the sonar to scan the ocean depths. "How do you know all this?" Severus asked, fascinated. Toby was quietly watching the lady moving assuredly about the equipment.

"I am an engineer, Russ. Technology is all related, and the manuals are here. These manuals are written for anybody to understand. It's a shame that Alain and Toby don't know how to use this equipment." Rose checked the battery levels. "They even have solar cells charging the batteries. This is a very ritzy ship; very option is included."

She looked beyond the communications and navigation station. "Over there are the engines and steering mechanism. There's the automatic anchor control. I expect one person could operate the whole ship from here with the engines, given enough practice and training, except for docking. Of course, if one were using the sails, it would be more complicated. I have no experience operating a sailboat or any boat, but I have studied the theory. The one thing you want to watch out for is the boom. " She pointed out the window to Alain, who was tacking upwind. "You don't want to be in the way when the boom is moving, or you could get knocked out or off."

Severus watched Alain at work, adjusting his sails with a wave of his wand, and then contemplated his wife. "Rose, I wonder if bringing you into the Magical world is a good thing. You will be a fish out of water, so to speak."

"The fish had to grow and change to come out of the water to colonize the land millions of years ago. Those that were willing and able did so," Rose smiled. "I'm feeling amphibious. I will let you know if I am getting in over my head, if you don't mind mixed metaphors. We can continue your Muggle education in technology while I learn about magic. Besides, someone has to access the memory stone. We cannot let its history be forgotten." Rose paused, and then added, "The English scientist and author of speculative fiction, Arthur C. Clarke, once commented that any technology sufficiently advanced was equivalent to magic. Think how powerful the synthesis of Muggle science and Wizard science would be!"

Toby came close to see what Rose was doing. She explained as much of the operation of the equipment as he would tolerate, and then asked how the wizards operated the ship. Time passed so quickly, they were startled when Captain Alain announced their arrival at Wizard's Reef. Toby released the anchor and handed out illuminated diving watches. Severus handed out gillyweed. Alain would stay aboard while the others visited the reef. Toby roped the three of them together, Rose in the middle.

Rose watched the wizards eat the gillyweed, then reluctantly followed suit. It wasn't any more disgusting than octopus, which was not her favorite dish, but since she had eaten that before, she managed to get the gillyweed down. They entered the ocean, waited for the gills and webbing on their hands and feet to develop, then dove under the waves to explore the beauties of Neptune's realm.

Rose marveled at how comfortable, even familiar, it felt to be aquatic. Her body felt sleeker, more powerful, completely at home in the buoyant waters of the South Pacific. If anything, the water seemed a bit too warm and too salty, but since she had never swum in an ocean before, and certainly not with gills, Rose could not account for the feeling. Her exposure to the oceans off the New England and California coasts consisted of plunging up to the ankles until the frigid waters triggered foot cramps. Rose grew up swimming in the comparatively warm Great Lakes, other, smaller bodies of fresh water in America, the ubiquitous heated pools of city and suburbia, and the vast commercial water parks spawned in the Eighties.

Rose found she had to reduce her exertions or she would outswim both men. Toby had asked that she stay between them, since she was wandless, so that they could protect her from an encounter with a shark or ray or other predatory threat. "It isn't likely that we should be attacked by anything," Toby had said, "but it's not unheard of, either."

The freedom from breathing, the vastly improved vision underwater (nearly 20 feet, by her estimate) that resulted from the gillyweed transformation, and the added speed from her webbed feet and hands led Rose to suspect that perhaps the fish were foolish to evolve into land creatures. She was delighted to find that neither her sinuses, nor her eyes, nor her ears were hurting in the slightest. She was snatching glances at Severus behind her, and feeling lust at the sight of his lean form cutting gracefully through the depths. There would be no water play this trip. Rose had no desire to give Toby an eyeful.

To Rose's eyes, Toby resembled a lumbering turtle more than any fish, but perhaps she was just prejudiced. He moved erratically through water, a roly-poly, graceless figure. He suddenly stopped and gestured ahead.

Before them stretched a mountain range of delicately coloured, fantastically twisted and knobby corals. Anemones bloomed in flowerbed clusters, and kelp forests waved in the rippling currents. Clownfish in their orange and white stripes wove between, dodging the blue spotted parrotfish. Sunlight passed through the clear blue waters, revealing the colors of Neptune's treasures. The sheer abundance of life, the schools of fish from the tiniest minnows to man-sized specimens, circulated among them without fear. The three humans followed the reef, but did not disturb the structure, since coral is famous for its fragility and lethality.

Their diving watches started to flash at last; the gillyweed effect was coming to an end in 15 minutes. With a last look at Neptune's riches, the three returned to the Bella Donna and the world above water.

Alain was waiting at the diving platform to give each a hand up into the ship. "How was your dive, Madame?" he smiled.

"Just fantastic!" Rose staggered aboard. "I've never seen or done anything so amazing in my life." She felt exhausted and exhilarated simultaneously. It took some effort to remember to breathe in the air.

"You will wish to shower in the head before the salt water dries your skin," Alain remarked, as he assisted Severus aboard. "And there is food ready in the galley. We do not depart for another hour or so. We will troll for fish on the way back to dock, if you do not mind." Alain hauled Toby aboard, then started to stow the diving platform. Supporting each other, laughing at each other and trading observations, Rose and Severus tottered off, while Toby lay in the sun, catching his breath.

After sluicing off and stuffing themselves with a proper English high tea, Severus and Rose reclined under the awning over the bow for a bit of rest. Rose quickly slipped into a well-earned doze, while Severus fondly guarded her sleep. Toby and Alain were talking in a desultory fashion on the aft deck, stowing diving gear, eating, cleaning the galley, and preparing the fishing tackle. Eventually, Severus drifted aft to observe their activities.

"Is it not true, Monsieur, that gillyweed has no effect on Muggles?" remarked Alain, as he baited and cast out several feet of line.

"You are correct, Monsieur," Severus replied gravely.

"Then Madame is a witch as well as an American," Alain continued, casting out the second long line.

"Obviously," Severus was curt. He gave the captain a challenging glare.

"And yet Madame has no wand," Alain remarked even more casually, as he cast the third line.

"An American prejudice," Severus remarked. "The colonials have some very medieval notions about magic."

"Madame is quite knowledgeable about Muggle machinery," Alain prodded, having never heard the Hogwarts motto: _Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus_.

"Americans are famous for their technological proclivities and willingness to use machines," Severus Snape sniffed. He was trying to restrain his temper, if only because he did not know how to sail a boat. "I am sure Madame would gladly show you how to operate the equipment in the cabin, if you wish to learn. There are some useful features that even wizards might appreciate." Alain made a slight bow to acknowledge the offer, and then continued:

"I know a wand maker on Bora Bora, if Monsieur wishes to purchase a quality wand for Madame. The witch is a friend of mine. She uses local hardwoods such as miki miki and aito, and tail feathers from native birds, including the koel and the monarchs." Alain had finally reached the point of his invasive conversation, and Severus relaxed.

"Madame is enceinte. She will select a wand after the twins are born." Severus was grateful that he would be able to end this conversation. The captain was too cheeky for his taste.

"You are on your honeymoon, hein? How long have you been married, Monsieur?" The Frenchman was doggedly continuing the interrogation.

"Nearly five weeks," Severus replied. Alain was silent for quite a while.

"I salute you, Monsieur!" Alain closed and stowed the tackle box, bowed and departed for the captain's cabin. Severus turned to face the ocean, lips twisting in a smirk that lasted for minutes. To earn a fellow wizard's approval for one's demonstrated virility and familial tendencies was a novel experience for the ex-Death Eater. He sauntered back to the awning, where Rose was stretching as she awoke.


	5. Chapter 5: Any Port in a Storm

Chapter 5: Any Port In A Storm

Severus moved to the foredeck where his wife Rose lay under an awning. "We are starting back to Tahiti now," he told her. "The captain is casting long lines to fish while we return to port. Perhaps we could do some fishing ourselves."

"You fish; I will watch with wifely approval and admiration," Rose smiled. Severus headed back towards the aft, where Alain was setting the sails. The two wizards talked; Alain bent to reopen the tackle box, when a sudden blast of wind tore the boom loose from its fastening. The boom struck Alain on the back of the head sending him to the deck, and then it hit Severus in the chest and knocked him overboard. "Toby!" Rose screamed. She tore off her wraps and ran to the diving line. "Drop anchor and secure the boom! Man overboard!" She threaded the guideline through a life preserver, tied the line to her waist, hyperventilated and dove after her husband.

Time seemed to have slowed down. Rose didn't have goggles, but she stared through the salt water looking for her goal. She suddenly grabbed the memory stone, using it to channel, and commanded "Accio!" Through the golden glow she was projecting, with eyes that strangely didn't burn from the salt, she saw her husband drifting. He appeared to be unconscious. Her speed increasing, she plowed through the waters, her hands and feet as effective as when the gillyweed had webbed them. She caught a handful of Severus' hair and pulled him to her. Although he was nearly weightless in the water, he still had all the inertia of a full grown male. She got a secure grip around his waist and started for the surface, kicking madly.

Fortunately for them, Toby had the presence of mind to start hauling in on the diving line once it stopped feeding into the water. With this assistance they quickly rose, breaking through the surface of the water into sunlight and air. Toby lifted the unconscious wizard out of the water with "Mobilicorpus!" Rose clung to the life preserver to catch her breath while Toby worked to restore Severus' breathing. Rose couldn't see anything, but Toby soon appeared and helped her onto the deck. "He's breathing, but he isn't conscious," he told her.

"What about Alain?" Rose knelt at Severus' side, checking him for damage.

"He is still out cold; he probably has a concussion," Toby looked pale. Shock was setting in.

"Can you sail the ship, Toby?" Rose asked. He shook his head. "Put them both under the awning and do what you can for them. I'll get some help." She ran for the cabin.

The radio, GPS and sonar were still on and all warmed up. Rose took the handset and sent a Mayday call. Limping through on her nearly non-existent French and the responder's somewhat more fluent English, Rose was able to convey the need for immediate medical evacuation for two and a substitute skipper for the Bella Donna. She gave their location from the GPS receiver. Turning the radio volume up and connecting the deck speakers, she returned to the awning where Toby labored over his fallen captain and passenger. "There is a helicopter coming with someone able to sail the Bella Donna into port. They said they would be here in 15 minutes. The helicopter will take Alain and Severus to a hospital in Papeete, which has the best care for head injuries. If you stay with the ship, I'll go to the hospital with them."

"You cannot take wizards to a Muggle hospital!" Toby exclaimed. "They need a Healer!"

"Well, I don't know any Healers, and even if I did, I couldn't get them here," Rose snapped back. "Can you do any better?"

"We could Apparate," Toby began. Rose shook her head.

"You could; I don't know how," she started crying, "I'm just a Muggle, for all intents and purposes. I can't do anything."

Events had caught up with Rose. She went to pieces for five minutes, while Toby patted her shoulder, muttering, "There now, Miss Rose, you did just fine." He got her a drink of water and a large handkerchief. "As soon as the Bella Donna is docked securely, I'll fetch Raymond to the hospital. He is the best we have on the island. If he can't mend them, he will fetch our local expert off Bora Bora." Toby gave her a wink. "Raymond knows his way around the hospital just fine. Here," he continued, removing Alain's wand and handing it to her, "you keep their wands handy, and try to get all three of you in one room together, and private." Toby looked at her with concern as she awkwardly removed Severus' wand in its sheath and stuffed it in her bag with Alain's wand. "You don't even use a wand?" Rose shook her drooping head. "Blimey!'

The drone of a chopper overhead attracted their attention. "Is that what you requested?" Toby gulped. "Good thing they are both unconscious. You'd never get me up in one of those!" He grasped her wrist suddenly. "Will you be all right?"

Rose gave a cross between a hiccup and a snort. "It's just a helicopter. I've flown in one before. I will be fine." She squeezed Toby's hand. "Go safely, Toby. Bring Raymond as swiftly as you can."

They watched as two men jumped to the deck of the Bella Donna and hurried over to the awning, bearing stretchers and harnesses. "I'm Henri and this is Joel. He is the medical one." They gently bundled the injured into the stretchers. With some skillful if nerve-wracking maneuvers, they got the stretchers airborne, one at a time. "If Madame will sit in this bosun's chair, we will leave for the hospital." They tucked her in, with Joel behind her. Rose shut her eyes and held tightly to the harness. In a minute she was aboard the helicopter, being buckled in like a small child in a seat between the stretchers, while Joel sat across from her and checked over his patients. The helicopter swooped off towards Tahiti's main city.

Rose never had a clear memory of the journey or the hospital admissions. She was beginning to fade from the adrenalin rush and exertion, not to mention her normal pregnancy requirements for food, rest and water. Joel caught her before she passed out and strapped her to a third stretcher, and force-fed her electrolytes for shock and dehydration. When eventually she was able to bring her attention into focus, Rose found that she and Severus were tucked into separate hospital beds in a three-man room, and a nurse and a doctor were fussing over her. Rose was able to answer most of the 1001 questions all hospitals ask, and to request some food and a status report on her fellow patients.

"Captain Alain is in surgery; he has a fractured skull and a blood clot is possible if it is not attended to promptly. Your husband is stable, and although he has a sizable goose egg on his forehead, he is merely unconscious. The x-rays show no problems. We expect he will wake soon. Please call the nurse when he does," the doctor instructed. Both doctor and nurse then left. Her meal arrived; Rose ate mechanically. She still felt exhausted, and decided to rest before anything else. Clutching the pendant, she muttered "Nox" and drifted off in the darkened room.

Severus Snape awoke to a blinding pain centered on his skull, radiating out. Keeping his eyes closed, he took a survey of his body and surroundings. Everything from the neck down seemed to be present and correct, although his chest hurt a bit. He deduced from the feel that he was in a bed, and from the chemical smells, in a hospital of sorts. He heard a faint and familiar pattern of snoring, and took comfort in knowing that Rose was in the room. Otherwise, it was quite still. He devoted some time to pain management techniques he had learned in the war, and then essayed a peek at the world outside his eyelids. The room was small, mercifully dark, and by the equipment it contained, Muggle operated. Rose was in the bed next to his. She seemed fine. His connection through the wedding band spell informed him that she was unharmed, and that news provided so much relief that he slipped back into unconsciousness.

After a couple of hours of restorative sleep, Rose awoke again and decided that she needed to find out where things stood. She gathered her change of clothes and made for the bathroom, which included a shower. Washed, refreshed and clad in Muggle guise, Rose touched her husband's cheek. His color looked better, she thought. She touched the pendant, to see if there was any advice for head injuries stored in the stone. She found a charm for pain, and attempted to perform it, stroking Severus' head and pouring her heart into the effort.

Whether her efforts were successful or not, she did succeed in rousing him. His eyes opened, and he gazed at her, a smile turning up one corner of his mouth. He caught one of her hands and kissed it. "I don't think we are in Kansas anymore, Dorothy," he murmured.

Rose giggled in surprise, the giggle turning into a sob as tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. "You are all right, then?"

"My brains are not scrambled, if that is what is worrying you," he replied. "I do have gaps in my memory, however." He brushed the tears from her cheek after he pulled her head down to his chest.

"A blast of wind broke the lashing, and both Alain and you were struck by the boom as it swung free. Alain suffered a fractured skull; I called for help on the ship's radio and a helicopter picked us up and brought us to this hospital in Papeete. It has the best program available for head injuries. Aside from the knot on your head, the doctors think you should be fine. How do you feel?"

"Your charm has eased the pain in my head. I feel some pain in breathing, however," he added. "And I definitely need to use the bathroom, if you don't mind."

Rose released Severus and helped him to rise. She collected his Muggle clothes and wand and handed them to him. "Take a shower; you will feel so much better," she directed.

While Severus was in the shower, someone knocked on the door to the room. Rose opened it to find a nurse, an orderly, and a gurney with an unconscious and heavily bandaged Alain upon it. Behind this procession came the apothecary Raymond, dressed as a doctor, stethoscope and all, and behind him Toby, to Rose's delight. The nurse and orderly together gently transferred Alain to the third bed. The orderly removed the gurney while the nurse attached all the tubes and wires dangling from her patient to their proper hangings and plugs in and around the bed.

"Miss Rose! How are you?" Toby beamed. "You are looking much better. Where is your husband? You know Dr. Ouellette, of course?"

I'm feeling much better, thank you Toby. Severus is in the shower; he's just woken up. Dr. Ouellette, so kind of you to come!" Rose held out her hand to Raymond, and he kissed the back of her hand instead of shaking it. "Did you manage the boat all right, Toby?"

"She's secure in the harbor until Alain is ready to sail her home," Toby said with satisfaction. "Henri, that pilot you summoned, was very competent." Severus returned from the bathroom, damp but clean, in time to hear Toby add, "If ever I'm in a crisis again, Miss Rose, I hope you are there to help. You have a treasure here, Snape. Your missus knows how react to danger. She was in the water after you like a seagull after a fish before I quite realized you went overboard. She has nerves of steel and lightning reflexes."

Severus came up behind Rose to wrap one arm about her waist. He felt her tense up, and rubbed her side. "Perhaps you'd care to tell me what happened, Toby? Rose is too modest." Severus held out his right hand to shake those of Toby and Raymond.

Raymond spoke. "Let me just see that my patient is comfortable and then we can talk freely in the parlor. Nurse Monique," he added, "I would like you to remain with the patient. If he should regain consciousness, I will need to be notified immediately. You may request anything you need of the hospital staff. I am assuming," he added to Severus, "that you are planning on leaving the hospital shortly?"

"If you sign us out, Doctor," Rose replied. "I want to be sure my husband is out of danger."

"Of course," Raymond replied. "This way, please."

Once the four were settled in the parlor, Toby told Severus about Rose's actions to rescue her husband from drowning. Severus kept a firm hold on Rose's right hand, but she could tell by touching her wedding band that he wasn't as alarmed and upset as she feared he would be, or as she was. She slowly relaxed a bit as Raymond doled out potions to Severus for the headache and swelling, and checked both Snapes' conditions. "I see no reason why you cannot return to the resort tonight," Raymond said. "I will be staying in Papeete for the night. I've hired Monique as a private nurse for Alain, but I want to be within call if necessary. He is lucky to be alive," he added. "You were quite right to summon the medical helicopter, Rose. Without immediate attention, he could have suffered a brain hemorrhage and died. On behalf of my friend, I thank you."

"I am glad I could help. I was afraid that both of them would die because I don't know how to use magic," Rose said, tears welling up yet again. She fumbled in her bag and handed Alain's wand to Raymond.

"There are some things magic cannot fix, my dear," Raymond replied. "Muggle technology has its uses, too. Once the smartest Muggles left the Dark Ages behind, they devised some innovative solutions to practical problems," he smiled and gave the classic Gallic shrug of the shoulders. "Chacun au son gout. Go with your strengths and be flexible."

"Good advice for us all, Raymond," said Severus Snape. "Now, how do you suggest we return to the resort? I am unwilling to risk Apparition in my present condition."

"Nothing could be simpler! I shall charm a Portkey for you," Raymond replied.


	6. Chapter 6: Positive Feedback

Chapter 6: Positive Feedback

The sun was setting when Rose and Severus Snape returned to the wizard resort. "This Portkey form of travel is a bit bumpy," Rose gasped, trying to catch her breath after the trip. They ordered dinner from the House Elf and ate under the stars that appeared in the deep blue sky. There was a porch swing big enough for two on the veranda; Severus coaxed Rose to sit and swing with him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and gently set the swing in motion.

"While I am not pleased that you risked yourself and the babes to rescue me, I am grateful to be alive," Severus began. "The knight was rescued by his queen this time."

"If I am to be a queen, then you must be the king, Severus. After all, you've been crowned already," Rose gently touched his forehead. He captured her hand and kissed it. Rose avoided his eyes.

"I am sorry to cause you any displeasure, Russ, but I could not face our babies and say: Your father died and I did not even try to save him," Rose contemplated her bare feet. "I raised one wizard alone, without knowing what I was trying to do, and it was hell. I could not imagine raising two by myself and remaining sane, even with all the help the people at Hogwarts could give. I need you," she continued, peering through the gloom at him. "I've looked for you all my life, and I'm not surrendering you to anyone or anything!" She grabbed him by the ears and kissed him with all her heart.

Severus was left breathless by her kiss and her declaration. "For what it is worth, I am yours, Rose," he replied. "But by the same token, you are mine. You must not take unnecessary chances, and keep me informed of any foreseeable dangers."

"I did tell you about the boom, Severus, if you recall," Rose said shyly.

"That you did," he replied, and returned to the honeymoon program, seeking and giving comfort in the arms of his beloved.

The following morning, after a leisurely lie in and breakfast, Severus held out his hand. "It's time for my swimming lesson, wife," he demanded. "I need to broaden my survival skills."

"You were unconscious in the water, Severus," Rose protested. "You bumped your head on the hull. You couldn't have done a thing."

"But next time, your life might depend upon me," he replied, as he pulled her from the chaise and out to the lagoon.

So Rose tried to explain the Australian crawl, Deadman's float and treading water. "I am not an expert by any means," she protested. "And I have no stamina for extended efforts. I am not an efficient swimmer."

"Still, you are the best available at the moment," he insisted. "I have to start somewhere." She had to admit that he made quick progress. Between his natural athletic abilities and his greater muscle mass, he soon could outswim her.

They rested in the shade after laps, drowsing as they dried. Severus stared at his sleeping wife, her hair spread out around her head, her brows and lashes bleached from the sun, all the colors of gold in her hair. She still held his hand tightly enough that he didn't try to pull from her grasp. She was a Mystery. All women are by nature the ultimate Unknown to all men, but Rose was his personal riddle. She would make an absolute declaration of undying love, and then risk Death to prove it, after barely four admittedly intense and eventful months. He suspected this was her style: once Rose decided to commit, she committed all the way. He felt ashamed. He wasn't worthy of such a heavy personal investment, he suspected, and he would rather die than admit he had never made any similar commitment, even to himself. Even during the war against Voldemort Snape had kept his options open. Still, by now he would rather lose his wand arm and his magical abilities than his wife's love. He resolved to devote his efforts to seeing that neither of them suffered any loss that could be avoided, and then he slept a bit, too.

The Snapes found they had entered a new phase in their relationship. Rose had never before reached this point of mutual respect and interdependence despite her previous attempts, so she was as amazed as Severus by the growing strength of the bonds between them. Passion and daring increased with their confidence in the rightness and the solidity of their marriage. _Is there any limit to how much I can love this man?_ Rose asked herself. So far, the answer was No.

"Can we get online somewhere, Russ?" Rose asked after lunch. "I ought to check my email and see how the kids are doing."

They Apparated to Papeete after lunch and found an Internet cafe. "John says they all returned safely from the States. Hermione helped him get Sarah settled into St. Mungo's. He says the Healers are analyzing her Muggle medications to see if they can improve on them. They have made a lot of progress on her general health already. She's lost a lot of the excess weight and increased her muscle tone and range of motion." Rose was crying. "Damn hormones! I cry all the time at the slightest provocation," she muttered. "Severus, I would like to do some shopping. I owe Hermione a gift, at least. She has been so helpful. And the kids haven't had their Christmas yet, either."

"I think that could be arranged," Severus smiled, as he gathered her into his arms. "Cry if you want to, nobody's watching." It was pitiful. He would take any excuse for extra time in Rose's embrace, and he had his own list of gifts to purchase. While getting his cuddles, and furthering his own personal plans, he was getting bonus points for good husbandry. Once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin, he thought ruefully. "Would you like to stop at the hospital, first? Raymond sent word this morning. Alain is awake and asking for us."

A short walk later they were knocking at the door of Alain's hospital room. The nurse Monique opened the door and ushered them in. She was native Polynesian in appearance, with a sweet smile. Alain was sitting up in bed, head swathed in gauze.

"Mes amis! Come in!" Alain waved them closer. Severus held out a hand and Alain shook it. He then kissed Rose's outstretched hand. "Madame, I am forever in your debt. Not only did you save my life with your quick thinking and knowledge, you also contrived to introduce me to this lovely woman." He gestured to Monique, who came to the other side of the hospital bed. He took Monique's hand in his. "Monique is a novice at the local Marae, the temple of the Creator Tangaloa. She is studying medicine from both sides. She has the healing touch." Alain squeezed Monique's hand, and then continued, "When I am released from this hospital I want to show you our family farm. Perhaps I can find something to express a small portion of my gratitude."

"When do you expect to be released, Alain?" Rose asked. She tried to envision returning home with a pig, or chickens, or a basket of pineapples, breadfruit and coconuts.

"Raymond said I should remain here another two or three days to let the skull knit. Monique's family is hosting a Healing on Sunday; I hope to attend. She invites you to come, as well. A Healing rarely happens these days. It is one of the social events of the decade, as well as magical." Alain lay back, suddenly tired. "I could use some healing to get my strength back."

"We would be delighted to attend. I shall ask Raymond for directions," Severus replied. "And now you must rest, Alain. Bon jour, Mademoiselle Monique!" Taking Rose by the hand, he led her out to a café. "I don't know about you, but I am hungry," Severus exclaimed. After dinner, they were ready to call it a day, and headed back to bed. "We can shop tomorrow," he said.


End file.
